DENVER — The first time chants of “Let’s Go Lakers” rang out in Ball Arena, Denver’s rowdy home crowd boo’d the visitors’ unwelcome slogan into silence. Minutes later when the game ended, there weren’t enough home fans left to quiet the purple and gold faithful.
The Lakers overcame a 16-point deficit in the third quarter to notch one of their most significant wins of the season, taking down the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Tuesday. LeBron James had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while Luka Doncic recorded his fifth triple-double of the year with 38 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
Despite losing center Deandre Ayton to a left eye injury in the second quarter, the Lakers still dominated the short-handed Nuggets in the paint, outrebounding Denver 51-31.
The Nuggets were playing without star Nikola Jokic (knee) and backup center Jonas Valanciunas (calf).
The Lakers (25-16) are slowly returning to full health as guard Austin Reaves’ calf injury is “progressing well,” coach JJ Redick said before the game, and the Lakers hope he could play on the eight-game trip that will stretch until Feb. 3. He is approaching the four-week point after aggravating his calf injury on Christmas Day.
For the first time since the injury, Reaves went on a trip with the team. He blended seamlessly into the bench group, wearing head-to-toe black next to the coaches.
On the other bench, Denver’s injured superstar was dressed in a forest green suit. Two-time most valuable player Jokic has been sidelined with a knee injury since Dec. 30. As significant as the Lakers’ injuries woes have been this year with the team only having all 14 of its standard contract players available for two games this season, the Nuggets’ problems could be even worse.
Three of the Nuggets’ season-opening starting rotation was sidelined Tuesday. Starting guard Christian Braun has been out since injuring his ankle on Nov. 12 and Cameron Johnson has missed 15 games with a knee injury. Sitting next to Jokic on the bench was backup center Valanciunas.
Denver (29-15) still had no problem controlling the first half, finishing the second quarter on a 14-3 run to claim a 14-point lead. Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that included Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
Murray, who finished with 28 points and 11 assists, is angling for the first All-Star appearance of his career. If coaches select the 28-year-old guard as a reserve, it would be the first time in Jokic’s career that he had a teammate who was named to the All-Star team.
Doncic, who was named a starter for next month’s midseason showcase game Monday, showed exactly why he led the league in All-Star fan voting. He had nine points and four assists in the third quarter as the Lakers trimmed a 16-point third-quarter deficit to only two entering the fourth. Doncic scored or assisted on 11 consecutive unanswered Lakers points.
After Doncic’s third-quarter domination, James tagged in and scored five consecutive points to end the quarter. He assisted a basket to Drew Timme on the Lakers’ opening offensive possession of the fourth quarter that tied the score 88-88.
While Doncic will return to the All-Star stage next month at Intuit Dome, James was not named a starter for the first time in 21 years. After missing the first 14 games of the season, he will have to wait for a vote from head coaches or a special selection from NBA commissioner Adam Silver to earn his 22nd All-Star honor.
“Given the missed games early, wasn’t surprised,” Redick said. “I believe he’ll be in the All-Star game.”
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